MarineCoastal& EstuarineInvestigation

Final Report

August 2000

Environment Conservation CouncilEnvironment Conservation CouncilEnvironment Conservation CouncilEnvironment Conservation Council

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© Environment Conservation Council 2000

Published by the Environment Conservation Council3rd floor 250 Victoria ParadeEast Melbourne VIC 3002

Website: www.nre.vic.gov.au/ecc

This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employeesdo not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is whollyappropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for anyerror, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any informationin this publication.

National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry:

Environment Conservation Council (Victoria)Marine, coastal and estuarine investigation: final report

BibliographyISBN – 0 646 39971 3

1. Marine resources conservation - Victoria. 2. Marine parks and reserves - Victoria.3. Coastal zone management - Victoria. 4. Estuaries - Victoria. I. Title

333.91641609945

ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION COUNCIL3rd Floor, 250 Victoria Pde, East Melbourne 3002

Phone: 0412 5100 Fax: 9412 5153E-mail: ecc2@nre.vic.gov.au

Our Reference:

Your Reference:

31 August 2000

The Honourable Sherryl Garbutt MPMinister for Environment and ConservationParliament HouseMelbourne 3002

Dear Minister,

MARINE, COASTAL AND ESTUARINE INVESTIGATION

In accordance with the requirements of Section 23(1) of the EnvironmentConservation Council Act 1997, the Environment Conservation Council ispleased to submit to you the Final Report for the Marine, Coastal and EstuarineInvestigation.

JOHN F. LOVERINGChairman

What is the ECC?

The Environment Conservation Council(ECC) was formed in mid 1997 replacingthe Land Conservation Council. TheECC advises the Victorian Governmenton the use of public land; it makesrecommendations, not decisions. Itinvestigates issues at the request of therelevant Minister and, in doing so, takesinto account resource use and socialissues as well as environmental needs.The ECC’s aim is to balance thecompeting needs of the environmentand public land users, in order to achieveecologically sustainable and economicallyviable public land use.

The ECC members are Professor JohnLovering AO (Chairman), Mrs EdaRitchie and Ms Jane Cutler who aresupported by a team of professional staff.

Professor Lovering has held senioracademic positions, chaired companyboards and served on national andinternational scientific committees. Hehas also had considerable experience innatural resources management asPresiding Officer of the South AustralianNatural Resources Council and asPresident of the Murray Darling BasinCommission.

Mrs Ritchie is a farmer from nearHamilton in Western Victoria withextensive experience in natural resourcesmanagement. She is also Chairman ofRural Ambulance Victoria, a member ofthe Rural Finance Board, and Chair ofthe Ross Trust.

Ms Cutler has a Masters Degree inEnvironmental Science, holds a seniormanagement position in the financesector and has many years of experiencemanaging environmental issues for theresources industry. She has served on anumber of boards and trusts includingas a Director of Landcare Australia.

The Council works with a wide range ofgroups including local government,Commonwealth and State agencies,business and industry, environment andconservation groups, Aboriginal people,recreation and tourism bodies, andinterested individuals. The ECC isindependent of other governmentagencies and develops itsrecommendations through datacollection, the commissioning of expertresearch, and extensive consultation.Public input into investigations isencouraged and welcomed.

At the end of each investigation the ECCmakes recommendations to the Minister.The State Government then considersthese recommendations and makesdecisions.

About this report

This report contains the Environment Conservation Council’s finalrecommendations for the protection, use and management of Victoria’a marine,coastal and estuarine areas. It marks the culmination of an investigation processbegun in 1991 by the then Land Conservation Council (LCC).

The Environment Conservation Council (ECC) has visited all the recommendedareas and sought input from a wide range of stakeholders, interested groups andindividuals to better understand the broad strategic issues as well as the finerdetail of marine management. There have been six formal periods for publiccomment, and about 4 500 written submissions received throughout the life ofthe investigation have been considered in detail. A large number of special reportswere commissioned by both the LCC and the ECC. Reports commissioned orprepared by other agencies, other States and the Commonwealth have also beenconsidered. The ECC has consistently sought to embrace and integrate the policiesand strategies of various levels of government and other agencies as they relateto the marine and coastal environment.

Acknowledgements

The ECC wishes to gratefully acknowledge the assistance of all those individualsand government, community, and industry groups who have contributed to theinvestigation over the past nine years.

The report was prepared by Hania Bibrowska, Shane Dwyer, Peter Kinchington,Joan Phillips, Mandy Rossetto, Sue Street and Ari Vlassopoulos. Administrativeassistance was provided by Geoff Blackman, Janet Hainsworth and Joy Vine.

Information and technical advice was provided by an Advisory Group, formedfor the ECC investigation: Kate Brent, Lawrance Ferns, Tony Landy, AndrewLevings, Garth Newman, Tim O’Hara, Bernadette O’Neil, Peter Rankin andRoss Winstanley.

In addition to the support provided by many Victorian government and non-government agencies, the following organisations also provided a great deal ofassistance: Australian Marine Sciences Association, Department of NaturalResources and Environment, various sub-committees of the FisheriesCo-Management Council, Mirimbiak Nations Aboriginal Corporation, ParksVictoria, Seafood Industry Victoria, Victorian Aquaculture Council, VictorianCoastal Council, Victorian Marine and Coastal Community Network, VictorianNational Parks Association and VRFish.

Design and layout services were provided by Wendy Havard. Cartographicservices were provided by Graham Kenneday Graphic Design.

The cover image is based on a photograph by Mary Malloy. Other photographsincluded in the report were provided by Aboriginal Affairs Victoria,Hania Bibrowska, Peter Kinchington and Melbourne Water.

Printed by Gill Miller Press Pty Ltd.

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Personal Signature

Personal Signature

Personal Signature

Professor John Lovering(Chairman)

Mrs Eda Ritchie

Ms Jane Cutler

Council’s Message

It is now more than 100 years since Victoria’s first land-based nationalpark was proclaimed at Wilsons Promontory. Since that time successiveVictorian governments have established a system of national parks andconservation reserves covering about 15 per cent of the State which arerecognised by our community as jewels in the environmental crown ofVictoria. The people of Victoria are justifiably proud of their nationalparks and understand the critical role they play in protecting the State’sunique biodiversity. They are enormously supportive of the fact that theseparks are a haven for the protection of the plants and wildlife all Victorianscan enjoy and which will always be available for the enjoyment andinspiration of future generations.

Until recent years the whole marine environment was seen as ripe forresource development in much the same way as was the land until ourterrestrial national parks were created. But it is now obvious that harvestingof the ocean’s biological resources has led in many areas to the degradationof marine ecosystems and threats to the sea’s biodiversity. Unless acomprehensive, adequate and representative system of marine nationalparks with an adequate level of protection is established, we will not beable to hand on to future generations even some limited marine areaswhere our marine biodiversity is fully protected from human modificationand degradation. This is the prime reason, and one which is widely acceptedinternationally, for the establishment of fully protected marine nationalparks and sanctuary areas.

The process of selecting and establishing marine protected areas is alwaysa lengthy and controversial one. The sea and its resources are used formany purposes and the community and industry are accustomed to havingaccess to virtually all marine waters. Different individuals and groupssometimes have legitimate but competing aspirations for particular areasand resolution of such issues is often protracted and always difficult. Tothese problems we must add the need to build community understandingthat the balanced use of marine resources must include leaving some areasunused for the protection of marine ecosystems, for science and education,for non-consumptive recreation and for their own intrinsic value.

During the process of this investigation we have sometimes heard groupsand individuals promoting multiple-use approaches to environmentalmanagement. The ECC is strongly of the view that its recommendationsare an expression of multiple use of the whole marine environment. It isa central component of multiple use planning and management that someareas are specifically set aside for conservation of marine biological diversity.

In drawing up the recommendations and proposals in this Final Report,the ECC has given full consideration to possible social and economicimpacts. On balance, the ECC believes that the environmental outcomeswill, in the medium term, outweigh the possible initial economic and socialcosts. Nevertheless, if the possible short-term costs can be demonstratedto fall disproportionately on any individual or particular group, then itwould be reasonable for the Government to develop a strategy to minimiseany such hardship.

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It is inevitable that for some, these recommendations and proposals willgo too far and for others they will not go nearly far enough. However wesuspect that twenty years from now, Victoria without a system of marinenational parks would be as unthinkable as Victoria today would be withoutthe Wilsons Promontory or the Grampians National Parks.

It was also part of the ECC’s terms of reference to recommend areassuitable for marine aquaculture. The ECC believes that an environmentallysensitive aquaculture industry has the potential to contribute substantiallyto the Victorian economy, but preparing these aquaculturerecommendations has been a difficult task, for technical, environmentaland social reasons. There has been a lot of concern expressed to us aboutthe perceived environmental risks associated with aquaculture in openmarine waters, although there appears to be considerable support for land-based aquaculture. As well, from an industry perspective relatively few areasin Victoria are suitable for existing species and technologies, and severalof these areas are ruled out because of their environmental significanceand sensitivity.

The ECC is recommending aquaculture zones which are significantexpansions of existing licence areas, as well as some new areas, and furtherrecommends monitoring programs to clarify and document the nature andextent of the environmental impacts. Wide availability of the results ofmonitoring will assist in responsible management of marine aquaculture,and should assist in addressing community concerns.

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Contents

Council’s Message v

Executive Summary xi

Part One The investigation

1.1 Introduction 31.2 Addressing the terms of reference 81.3 Policy context 91.4 Consultation and information 121.5 Economic and social assessments 12

Part Two Protection, use and management of Victoria’s marine and coastal environment

2.1 Aboriginal interests 192.2 Objectives for use 222.3 Protection of biodiversity 232.4 Catchment management 242.5 Threats 252.6 Use of marine resources 262.7 Implementation and management 282.8 Coastal reserves and coastal land use 30

Part Three Marine protected areas

3.1 Victoria’s marine biodiversity 353.2 Recommended approach to marine conservation 363.3 A comprehensive, adequate and representative system of marine protected areas 373.4 Community views 383.5 Principles for the selection and management of marine protected areas 383.6 Identification and selection of candidate areas for marine national parks 393.7 The proposed system 423.8 Existing parks and other areas 483.9 Biosphere Reserves 50

Recommendations for the Western biophysical region 51A1 Discovery Bay Marine National Park 52A2 Twelve Apostles Marine National Park 55B1 Merri Marine Sanctuary 58B2 The Arches Marine Sanctuary 59C1 Cape Bridgewater 60C2 Lawrence Rocks 60C3 Portland Bay 61C4 Deen Maar (Lady Julia Percy Island) 62C5 Logans Beach 63C6 Dinosaur Cove 63

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Recommendations for the Central and Wilsons Promontory biophysical regions 65A3 Point Addis Marine National Park 66A8 Bunurong Marine National Park 69A9 Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park 71B3 Marengo Reefs Marine Sanctuary 74B4 Eagle Rock Marine Sanctuary 75B5 Point Danger Marine Sanctuary 76B6 Barwon Bluff Marine Sanctuary 77B10 Mushroom Reef Marine Sanctuary 78C15 Summerland Peninsula (Phillip Island) 79

Recommendations for the Eastern biophysical region 81A11 Ninety Mile Beach Marine National Park 82A12 Point Hicks Marine National Park 84A13 Cape Howe Marine National Park 87B11 Beware Reef Marine Sanctuary 90C16 The Skerries 91C18 Gabo Island harbour 91

Recommendations for the Bays, Inlets and Estuaries biophysical region 93

Port Phillip Bay 95

A4 Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park 96B7 Point Cook Marine Sanctuary 100B8 Jawbone Marine Sanctuary 101B9 Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary 102C7 Clifton Springs 103C8 Werribee River estuary 104C9 Capel Sound 104

Western Port 105

A5 Yaringa Marine National Park 106A6 French Island Marine National Park 108A7 Churchill Island Marine National Park 110C10 Honeysuckle Reef 112C11 Crawfish Rock 112C12 Bass River delta 113C13 San Remo 113C14 Rhyll 114

Other bays, inlets and estuaries 115

A10 Corner Inlet Marine National Park 117C17 Mallacoota Inlet (parts) 119

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Part Four Marine aquaculture areas

4.1 Overview 1234.2 Victoria’s aquaculture programs and the ECC’s role 1234.3 Community views 1244.4 Nutrient management and finfish culture in Port Phillip Bay 1254.5 Principles for selection and management of marine aquaculture areas 1264.6 The proposed areas 1274.7 Recommended marine aquaculture zones 127

Recommended aquaculture zones 128E1 Portland Aquaculture Zone 129E2 Grassy Point Aquaculture Zone 129E3 Clifton Springs Aquaculture Zone 130E4 Point Lillias Aquaculture Zone (land-based) 130E5 Avalon Aquaculture Zone (land-based) 131E6 Bates Point Aquaculture Zone 131E7 Kirk Point–Werribee Aquaculture Zone 132E8 Beaumaris Aquaculture Zone 132E9 Mount Martha Aquaculture Zone 133E10 Dromana Aquaculture Zone 133E11 Pinnace Channel 134E12 Flinders Aquaculture Zone 134

References 135

Glossary 151

Acronyms 154

Appendices 1551 List of submissions received on the Draft Report (December 1999)2 ECC’s response to major issues3 Mirimbiak Nations Aboriginal Corporation Consultation Report4 Socio-economic assessment of the implications of the Final Report5 Assessment of commercial fisheries catch and value6 Victorian marine ecological data

6.1 Summary of marine ecosystem mapping in Victoria (1992–2000)6.2 Marine habitat classes and ecological communities6.3 Marine invertebrate species of conservation concern and significant locations

7 Technical criteria for marine aquaculture sites

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Executive Summary

Victoria’s marine and coastal environment is uniquein its natural diversity – nowhere else in Australia isthere such a rich diversity of flora and fauna, andcultural sites and landscapes, along such a compactand easily accessible coastline. In addition to itsenvironmental values, the marine and coastalenvironment is a valuable economic resource.Victoria’s commercial fish and shellfish industriesgenerate jobs, exports and income. Recreationalfishing, boating and sightseeing are important leisureactivities and, together with tourism, providesignificant economic benefits to coastal towns.Coastal and marine waters are used for shipping andtrade, and Victoria’s commercial ports are amongstthe busiest in the southern hemisphere.

There is increasing pressure on marineenvironments, arising from agricultural, urban andindustrial development in catchments draining to thecoast, physical disturbances, fishing and harvesting,and the introduction of exotic marine organisms.The cumulative effects of commercial andrecreational fishing are demonstrable for many fishand shellfish stocks in Victorian waters, and evidenceof overfishing is available for at least two importantfisheries: sharks and rock lobster. The alarmingspread of introduced marine species in Port PhillipBay is a serious threat to marine biodiversity.

The investigation

The Environment Conservation Council (ECC), atthe request of the Victorian Government, has carriedout an investigation of the State’s marine, coastal andestuarine areas. The ECC’s investigation built onearlier work of the Land Conservation Council(LCC) and also took into account work done by theVictorian Coastal Council and actions associatedwith the implementation of Australia’s OceansPolicy. Government programs, such as the majorbuy-back of bay and inlet fishing licences, were alsotaken into account.

Terms of reference

The Government requested that the ECC makerecommendations on the protection of significantenvironmental values and the sustainable use ofVictoria’s marine environment, with priority given torecommendations for a representative system ofmarine parks and for areas suitable for marineaquaculture. The full terms of reference are includedin Part One of this report.

In accordance with its terms of reference, theECC recommends:

• 13 highly protected marine national parks,covering the major habitats and biologicalcommunities of Victoria’s five biophysicalregions;

• 11 smaller highly protected marine sanctuariesto complement the marine national parks and toprotect special values;

• 18 special management areas where specialvalues are highlighted, but which generallyrequire a lower level of protection;

• retaining the remaining existing multiple-usemarine parks under current managementarrangements;

• 12 marine aquaculture zones totalling 2 682 ha;

• reservation of all other marine areas as CoastalWaters Reserve;

• objectives and recommendations for protection,use and management of marine environments;and

• zoning of existing coastal reserves into CoastalProtection and Coastal Recreation zones,consistent with the Victorian Coastal Strategy.

The recommended highly protected marinenational parks and marine sanctuaries total63 136 ha or 6.2% of Victoria’s marine waters.

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Scope of the Final ReportFor completeness, this final report comprises all theECC’s recommendations for Victoria’s marine, coastaland estuarine area, including the review of the PortPhillip Heads Marine Park requested by the Ministerin December 1998, and the two aquaculturerecommendations contained in the Interim Report(1988) currently under consideration by Government.

Consultation programThe recommendations in this report conclude anine-year process which included six formal periodsfor public comment, as well as ongoing consultationwith a broad range of community and industrygroups, government agencies and interestedindividuals. An Advisory Group was established toprovide input and advice regarding technical issuesassociated with the investigation.

About 4500 written submissions have been taken intoaccount in the preparation of this report, almost 2500of them received following the release of the DraftReport. This is a huge resource of information andinformed comment which was enormously valuable inhelping the ECC finalise its recommendations.

In addition to consideration of written submissions,the ECC has conducted numerous briefings andpublic meetings. Mirimbiak Nations AboriginalCorporation was commissioned to facilitate andcoordinate the input of Aboriginal people.

Major changes since the Draft ReportFollowing public consultation on the Draft Reportthe ECC has made several significant changes to itsrecommendations:

• an expanded discussion and recommendationsrelating to broad protection, use andmanagement issues in the marine environment;

• changes to marine national park boundaries toaddress user issues, to improve habitatrepresentation and to provide for easierboundary identification;

• minor changes to marine sanctuaries and specialmanagement areas, and additional specialmanagement areas recommended;

• a re-assessment of commercial fisheries catchestimates, and a social and economic assessmentof impacts on coastal communities;

• existing multiple–use parks to retain theircurrent names and management arrangements;

• a small number of changes to marineaquaculture zones to address user issues; and

• aquaculture investigation areas have either beenremoved or a smaller zone identified.

A summary of the changes to area recommendationsis provided at the end of this Executive Summary.

Social and economic assessmentsBoth the ECC and the LCC have commissionedsocial and economic assessments throughout thisinvestigation.

The annual value of commercial fisheries in therecommended marine national parks and marinesanctuaries is estimated to be approximately$7 million, with most of the value derived fromabalone harvesting.

The ECC recently commissioned Essential EconomicsPty Ltd to carry out an assessment of the social andeconomic implications of its final recommendations,particularly on coastal communities. The full report isprovided in Appendix 4. The assessment indicatesthat impacts on commercial fishers depend onwhether or not catch can be secured from otherareas. In the event that foregone catch is not sourcedfrom elsewhere, the potential job loss is around 0.3%of all employment in towns located nearrecommended marine national parks and marinesanctuaries. However it is expected that individualincomes would be reduced rather than jobs lost, andthe net effect on a town’s economy is not expectedto be significant.

The recommendations are assessed as unlikely tohave any significant adverse impact on recreationalfishing expenditures in the State.

Marine aquaculture is likely to generate significantemployment for Victoria, with Portland a potentialmajor beneficiary.

Employment generation in coastal towns may also beassociated with management of marine protected areas.

The primary tourism benefit flowing from therecommendations is the opportunity for increasedtourism marketing and development of newproducts associated with the new marine nationalparks or sanctuaries. However, tourism numbers areconsidered to be unlikely to increase as a direct resultof implementing recommendations, and benefits arelikely to be small and not measurable in terms ofnew jobs.

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Environmental benefits flow from preservation ofthe State’s coastal and marine biodiversity. Althoughdifficult to quantify, improved scientific understanding,access to education opportunities and preservationof Victoria’s natural assets for future generations aresome of the benefits generated through implementationof the recommendations.

It was noted that the structural change evident inmany of Victoria’s coastal communities is driven byan ongoing shift from resource to service economiesand, for some coastal communities, the net result hasbeen population decline. Flowing from suchstructural shifts are community perceptions of lossand isolation and, in these circumstances, additionalchange through policy implementation can furtherentrench these sentiments.

Addressing the terms of reference

Maintaining the health and integrity of marineecosystems is fundamental to good management ofVictoria’s marine and coastal environments. Caremust be taken not to threaten the biological diversityand ecological processes on which continued use ofthe sea depends. Victoria’s marine biodiversity is asignificant part of the State’s wealth. As a society wehave a responsibility to pass on an environment tofuture generations that will continue to give them thebenefits that it has given us.

In this report the ECC addresses the two prioritiesestablished in its terms of reference:

• a representative system of marine parks inVictoria, and

• areas suitable for marine aquaculture.

Marine protected areasThe recommendations for a system of highlyprotected areas within a framework of sustainablemanagement are an expression of multiple-usemanagement of the marine environment.

The ECC recommends a system of 13 highlyprotected marine national parks along theVictorian coastline. These parks, which arerepresentative of the major habitats and biologicalcommunities in Victoria’s five marine biophysicalregions, form the major component of the marineprotected areas system.

The marine national parks will be complemented by11 smaller highly protected marine sanctuaries,recommended for protection of special features.

18 special management areas are also identifiedwhere a lower level of protection is sufficient toprotect special features.

The existing multiple-use marine parks (otherthan the areas recommended to be included inmarine national parks or marine sanctuaries) arerecommended to be retained to be managed for avariety of uses which do not impact on the valuesand objectives of the park.

Out of a total Victorian marine area of 1 017 400 ha,the areas recommended as highly protected marinenational parks and marine sanctuaries total 63 136 haor about 6.2% of Victoria’s marine waters. Moreinformation on all these areas is provided in PartThree of this report.

Coastal reserves and coastal land useCoastal reserve zones provide protection for, andrecognition of, the often narrow public foreshore landoutside parks and other conservation reserves. Theseareas are a focus of recreational use and publicenjoyment, and support often fragile coastal ecosystemsand landscapes.

The Coastal Protection Zones should be managed toprovide for conservation, or low impact recreationconsistent with protection of the natural values ofthe areas. The Coastal Recreation Zones are capableof sustaining recreation for larger numbers ofpeople, and should be managed for appropriaterecreational use whilst minimising impacts onremnant values and the coastal environment.

The ECC, in conjunction with the Victorian CoastalCouncil, has mapped coastal zoning for coastalpublic land outside parks and reserves, andrecommends that the zoning be incorporated intothe Victorian Coastal Strategy.

Marine aquacultureThe ECC is recommending 12 marine aquaculturezones. The zones total 2 682 ha. More informationon all the proposed zones is provided in Part Fourof this report.

The ECC also considers that there are majoropportunities, and broad community support, forland-based aquaculture, and encourages itsdevelopment.

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Summary of changes to area recommendations since the Draft ReportMarine national parks

Final Report Recommendation the change the reasonsA1 Discovery Bay straightening the offshore boundary

–area reduction of 260 haeasier identification of seawardboundaries

A2 Twelve Apostles additional shoreline exclusions; offshoreboundary straightened–area reduction of 530 ha

easier identification of boundaries, andadditional areas for shore-basedrecreational fishing

A3 Point Addis straightening the offshore boundary–area reduction of 215 ha

easier identification of seaward boundary

A4 Point Cook in Draft Report – see B7 belowA4 Port Phillip Heads Recommended in Interim Report 1998. Not included in Draft Report 1999. Change

from multiple-use park to marine national park – for details see Part Three.A5 Yaringa no changeA6 French Island

(formerly A6 North Western Port)Post Office Channel included; namechange–area increase 130 ha

easier identification of boundaries andbetter representation of channel habitats

A7 Churchill Island(formerly A7 Rhyll Inlet)

parts of channels used for fishingexcluded; name change–area reduction of 335 ha

reduced impact on boat-basedrecreational fishing

A8 Bunurong straightening the offshore boundary easier identification of seaward boundaryA9 Wilsons Promontory Glennies group of islands excluded

–area reduction of 930 hareduced impact on commercial abalonefishery

A10 Corner Inlet(formerly B10 Corner InletMarine Sanctuary)

change of southern and easternboundaries, name change to MarineNational Park–area increase of 740 ha

better representation of Posidonia andHalophila seagrass

A11 Ninety Mile Beach(formerly A10)

the park relocated to the west ofSeaspray; offshore boundary straightened–area reduction of 160 ha

reduced impact on shore-basedrecreational fishing; easier identificationof boundaries

A12 Point Hicks(formerly A11)

Clifton Rocks excluded, Whaleback Rockincluded; offshore boundary straightened–area reduction of 1 800 ha

reduced impact on shore-basedrecreational fishing; easier identificationof seaward boundary

A13 Cape Howe(formerly A12)

straightening the offshore boundary–area reduction of 380 ha

easier identification of seaward boundary

Marine sanctuariesFinal Report Recommendation the change the reasonsB1 Merri La Bella reef area excluded

–area reduction of 23 haeasier identification of boundaries andreduced impact on commercial abalonefishery

B2 The ArchesB3 Marengo Reefs

no change

B4 Eagle Rock adjustment of east and west boundaries–area increase of 9 ha

easier identification of boundaries fromland and improved representation ofnearshore reefs

B5 Point DangerB6 Barwon Bluff

no change

B7 Point Cook(formerly A4 Point CookMarine National Park)

Sheoak reef excluded and entire PointCook reef included; change of name toMarine Sanctuary–area reduction of 215 ha

reduced impact on commercial abalonefishery and recreational fishing,ecological monitoring facilitated byinclusion of entire Point Cook reefcomplex

B8 Jawbone(formerly B7)

adjustment of western boundary–area reduction of 12 ha

the boundary moved away from KororoitCreek mouth

B9 Ricketts Point(formerly B8)

reduction of the offshore area–area reduction of 120 ha

easier identification of boundaries andreduced impact on boat-basedrecreational fishing

B10 Mushroom Reef(formerly B9)

minor boundary adjustment easier identification of boundaries

B11 Beware Reef no change

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Special management areas

Final Report Recommendation the change the reasonsC1 Cape Bridgewater

(formerly D1)C2 Lawrence Rocks

(formerly D2)C3 Portland Bay

(formerly D3)

no change

C4 Deen Maar (Lady Julia Percy Island)(formerly D4)

name change to reflect significance of area forAboriginal people

C5 Logans Beach(formerly D5)

adjustment of the offshore boundary–area increase of 160 ha

consistency with the proposed Wildlife(Whales) (Logan’s Beach) Regulations2000 under the Wildlife Act 1975

C6 Dinosaur Cove(formerly D6)

adjustment of the offshore boundary–area increase of 9 ha

easier identification of boundaries

C7 Clifton Springs(formerly D7)

no change

C8 Werribee River estuary(new area)

new area–51 ha

to protect estuarine environment

C9 Capel Sound(formerly D8)

straightening of the boundary–area increase of 126 ha

easier identification of boundaries

C10 Honeysuckle Reef(formerly D9)

C11 Crawfish Rock(formerly D10)

no change

C12 Bass River delta(formerly D13)

C13 San Remo(formerly D12)

no change

C14 Rhyll(formerly D11)

adjusting the offshore boundary andadditional areas–area increase of 246 ha

easier identification of boundaries andenhanced protection for wading birds

C15 Summerland Peninsula (PhillipIsland)(formerly D14)

additional area–area increase of 372 ha

improved protection for seal and penguinpopulations

C16 The Skerries(formerly D15)

no change

C17 Mallacoota Inlet (parts)(new area)

new area–340 ha

to protect areas of flora, fauna andgeomorphological significance

C18 Gabo Island harbour(new area)

new area–23 ha

to protect nature based tourist values ofGabo Island harbour including littlepenguins and reef fish

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Aquaculture zones

Final Report Recommendation the change the reasonsE1 Portland

(formerly F1)investigation area changed to zone–area reduction of 800 ha

to specify the area to be used foraquaculture

E2 Grassy Point(formerly E1)

E2 Clifton Springs(formerly E2)

no change

E4 Pt Lillias(formerly F2)

investigation area changed to zone–area reduction of 33 ha

to specify the area to be used foraquaculture

E5 Avalon no change to previously recommended17 ha area, possible additional 30 haremoved from recommendations.

more suitable area for aquaculture

E6 Bates Point(formerly E3)

no change

E7 Kirk Point-Werribee(formerly F3)

investigation area changed to zone–area reduction of 5 600 ha

to specify the area to be used foraquaculture

E8 Beaumaris(formerly E4)

no change

E9 Mount Martha(formerly E5)

–area reduction of 150 ha reduced environmental impacts

E10 Dromana(formerly E6)

–area reduction of 130 ha reduced impact on recreational boating

E11 Pinnace ChannelRecommended in Interim Report1998. Not included in Draft Report1999– for details see Part Four.

no change to previously recommended1000 ha area

E12 Flinders(formerly E7)

no change

Areas previously listed in Draft ReportF4 Corinella investigation area removed from

recommendationscommunity concerns about environmentalsensitivity of the Ramsar-listed WesternPort environment; not sought by industry

F5 Bass River investigation area removed fromrecommendations

community concerns about environmentalsensitivity of the Ramsar-listed WesternPort environment; not sought by industry

F6 Anderson Inlet investigation area removed fromrecommendations

community concerns of environmentalrisks; not sought by industry

E8 Waratah Bay zone removed from recommendations community concerns of environmentalrisks; visual amenity and coastalinfrastructure issues; not sought byindustry

F7 Corner Inlet investigation area removed fromrecommendations

environmental sensitivity of this Ramsarwetland; potential conflicts with other uses;not supported by industry